Fiery rhetoric, welfare promises, and divisive slogans define the final day of campaigning as Maharashtra and Jharkhand brace for the crucial 2024 Assembly elections
Maharashtra, Jharkhand exit polls Time: Where to watch updates on results and insights as polling concludes today in these high-stakes state elections
The counting of votes for Maharashtra Assembly elections and Phase I and Phase II of Jharkhand Assembly elections will be conducted on November 23
Altogether 528 candidates, including Chief Minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana Soren and Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri of the BJP, are trying their luck in the second phase
Deoghar administration said the officer was replaced after being found too close to the voting compartment, which is against Election Commission rules
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also appealed the voters to cast their votes in maximum numbers, for the better future of Jharkhand. Vadra urged voters to use their power to elect a government
The trucks were returning after dumping coal when they were set on fire by members of the banned Jharkhand Prastuti Committee (JPC), a splinter group of Maoists. An investigation has been initiated
Voting began at 7 am in 14,218 booths across 12 districts and will continue till 5 pm, polling in 31 booths will end at 4 pm though people standing in the queue at that time will be able to vote
Counting of votes is set to take place on Saturday and this could set the tone for Parliament's winter session, which begins on Monday and is scheduled to end on December 20
Soren also accused the BJP of being an expert in fulfilling political ambitions by inciting hatred among people
Maharashtra reported poll-related seizures worth over Rs 660 cr this year, up from Rs 103.6 crore in the previous elections, while in Jharkhand, it totaled Rs 198 crore, against Rs 18.8 cr previously
Since 2000, Jharkhand has had seven chief ministers, but only one completed a full term, reflecting its unstable and coalition-driven politics
He alleged that prime assets of the country, including airports, ports, natural resources, were being handed over to billionaires like Adani and Ambani without following transparent tender processes
Despite the state's rich natural resources, he pointed out that the people remain poor. Adityanath promised that, under an NDA government, at least 1.5 lakh youth would be provided jobs
He also accused the JMM-led government of allegedly not fulfilling any promise made during the 2019 elections
Charging the Hemant government with promoting infiltration, Nadda said that if BJP is voted to power, a law would be enacted to check transfer of land to the offspring of infiltrators who marry tribal
He also hit out at BJP over its leaders questioning the contributions of Congress and said the party had given the country its Constitution and created institutions
Soren had alleged that saffron camp has been 'spending crores of money on various social media platforms' and 'created 95,000 Whatsapp groups' to campaign against the JMM-led coalition in the state
Ramesh said in 2006, the decades-long struggle of India's tribal communities came to an end when the Congress government introduced the historic Forest Rights Act
While addressing a public meeting in Simdega, Kharge criticised the BJP's slogan "Batenge to Katenge", claiming it reflects their divisive intentions